I am an alumnus of Artesia High School in California. When I was in my senior year I had this class called “SOS”, “Survival of the Singles”. Some schools call this class “Survival of the Elderly”. It’s a class that teaches about bank accounts, writing checks, investing money, getting a job, what work will be like, kids, and more. This class helped me a little to prepare for the real world. I learned a lot from this class and I had a very good teacher. Her name was Mrs. Stone Breaker. Maybe one day you will find this article online and see this sentence,
“Ms. Stonebreaker, thank you for everything you taught me in school. You and your husband were the best teachers I’ve ever had in high school.”
I realized that high schools are not really geared towards creating a smooth transition from high school to the big world. I would like to present this article to those of you who are college dropouts who don’t want to go to college and want to work, and those of you who are high school graduates and don’t know what the heck you want to do.
Regardless of what you do, there are certain things you must do to survive. You may have supportive parents, but they won’t be there forever. The sooner you are able to survive on your own, in today’s world, the better it will be for you and your parents. Here is a list of basic things you should try to set up right away:
Email address
Log in and create two email addresses. One will be for business and one for personal use. The two main companies that offer free emails are MSN (Hotmail) and Yahoo. Click “sign up” and follow the instructions to get an email address. The reason you need two email addresses is because you want to separate your personal email from your business email.
Use your company email to sign up for online programs and offers, and to apply for jobs. Use your personal email to talk to your friends and family. Always try to get the email addresses of all your family and friends and keep in touch with all of them. They are invaluable resources in your life.
If you’re brand new to email, you can always do a Google search for tutorials. Don’t be afraid to read the help files offered by most email providers. They are there to do exactly that, to “HELP YOU”. Remember that Google is your friend. You can always Google the answers to most questions. Get really good at using email. Most businesses use email as their main source of communication these days.
Bank account
Go to your local bank and open a free checking and savings account. Set up this account and its online services so you can keep track of your money online. Get a debit card with the visa or mastercard logo so you can buy things everywhere. Get a wallet and keep your cards and wallet safe. Make a habit of putting it on top of or in your dresser drawer or something. Get in the habit of balancing your checkbook often and save all your receipts.
credit card
Apply for a main visa or mastercard. Listen to me very carefully, just one. You will use this card for 2 specific purposes only! One is renting a car and the other is establishing credit. A credit card is not real money and you should only spend what you earn. Chances are you don’t have a credit history, so you’ll need it to start building credit to buy a home someday. Try to find a card with the lowest possible interest rate, no annual fee, and cash back on purchases. Buy small things with him and pay every month to establish credit.
Create a resume
Your resume is your key document that tells potential employers what skills and experience you have. You need to learn to create at least a basic one. There are many resources online on how to create a resume. Just search and read. If you don’t know how to use Microsoft Word, learn! Go to Microsoft.com and find out how to use Word. It is very useful and is practically necessary these days. If your computer doesn’t have it or you can’t afford it, download Open Office and use it. Word has resume templates where you pretty much just fill in the boxes. If not, you can always search for a free professional template on Google.
Learn about public transportation
If you’re lucky and your parents buy you a car, then you don’t really need to worry about public transportation; but you will have to learn about vehicle maintenance. Why not skip all that for now and learn about the buses and trains in your area and how to use them? It is a cost-effective way to get around the city or town.
Find a job
Try to get a job through one of your family members. You’ll have a better chance of getting a decent job that way. Since you just finished high school, it will be difficult for you to prove that you have work experience or skills. Try to avoid working in fast food restaurants if possible. Apply everywhere. Go out one day with your mom or dad or someone and ask them to take you around collecting requests from various places. Fill them all out and return them all the same day. This way it looks like you are motivated. About.com has some great resources to help you find your first job.
When in interviews, be yourself and be honest. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. This is a potential place where you may be working many hours a day. He wants to know what he’s getting himself into. Prepare to be rejected. Not all places are hiring, just be sure to be courteous and thank them for their time. Go to work every day and try not to miss it.
Save money
Once you get a steady paycheck, you should start saving money. You will have the resources to start working on your future. With a steady and decent job, you will be able to survive on your own. Saving is important because one day you will have to pay for your own place and pay the bills. If you are one of those who prefer to stay with their parents, then you are only hurting yourself. People will say that it’s okay to stay with your parents as long as possible. I’m okay with that only if you’re going to college. Remember that it is good to give your parents a break. Of course they love you, but it’s just out of respect to give them some freedom because they sacrificed so much and worked so hard to get you to where you are.
See my Investing Basics page for basic investment information.
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find your passion
The key to happiness is finding your passion in life. You’ll know when you find it because you won’t stop doing it. You won’t let anything get in the way of doing it. It’s even easier if you take care of yourself and work hard. You will feel that you deserve it, and you deserve it! Realize that your passion could change, depending on who you are. I always thought computers were my passion, but now I feel like I learned everything I wanted to and I’m moving on to new things. Currently my passion is blogging! Who would have thought!
Never stop learning
You can never, ever know too much. Higher education does not always have to be learned at university. You can take free online courses, read books, or even read this blog, etc. If you’re like me and don’t really care about the classroom environment, then don’t be afraid to find other means of educating yourself. Although I graduated from DeVry University, I now realize that I probably won’t be back in the classroom. You just need to read and do! Try things! Don’t be afraid to fail because that’s how you really learn.
conclusion
Ok, so you’re alone now. It’s time to go out into the world now because you have all the answers from this simple little document, right? Ok, maybe that’s not true, but if you take the steps I’ve stated in this document seriously, I think you’ll be surprised where you’ll be in a couple of weeks.
If you have any questions, you can always contact me. I’d like to help! Take care of yourself.